Posted - 23 Oct 2014 : 6:25:24 PM Dex is poodle x Jack 13.5 years old and has 100% quality of life, still a lively happy chap. I noticed he was drinking slightly more than normal so straight to vet and he has early stage CKD, not uncommon in a dog of his age. I am hoping that early diagnosis and the best of care from vet will stabalise or at least slow down the inevitable and who knows he may die of old age.Any experience or advice gratefully received.

25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)

Ari

Posted - 19 Dec 2016 : 6:38:03 PM Your decision is harder than mine. My lady was 30.5 sound bless her but not recovering from a virus / bacterial infection or whatever that put her off food and drained her strength = no quality of life for my food loving kind but lunatic ginger Crabbet lady. Vets and I tried all reasonable effort; she was rapidly loosing what weight I had got on her over summer for the winter and no improvement in quality of life. Two weeks from 100% fit oldie then vet care to decision made. That's all we can do; our best xxxx

sab2

Posted - 16 Dec 2016 : 1:09:34 PM Thanks Ari and garnet, it can be so hard as to know when to call it a day sometimes. My girl seems happy enough on the higher dose Danilon and vet says I can up it at times like farrier coming, she nearly took his head off last week when he lifted her worst leg up I will not let her suffer so once she starts getting unhappy on the extra dose it will be time to say our goodbyes #128577;

garnet

Posted - 15 Dec 2016 : 4:53:08 PM That's right - I have wished that I hadn't put Autumn through surgery for a twisted gut and Jim for a pedunculated lipoma but hindsight is wonderful and we can only do our best. If you had gone for it before you would still be wondering if you did the right thing, as would I with my two. Try to enjoy your time with your mare - you will know when the time has come to show her that final kindness. xx

Ari

Posted - 13 Dec 2016 : 7:47:07 PM We can only do our best taking advice from vet and weighing up quality of life. We can only give best chance in the moment and that's what you did. Hindsight and the experience it gives is valuable however not always true in every situation so all we can do is our best call xx

sab2

Posted - 13 Dec 2016 : 7:25:03 PM Debs that made me giggle, my pointers love their coats on bless them but. Our collie would hate to wear one. Well vet was out last Friday and we have upped her Danilon, she seems a lot happier on the extra dose but I have decided that once the extra dose stops helping her it will be time to call it a day. I don,t like the idea of keeping her going on high dose Danilon with all her problem and she needs to have quality of life as pain free as possible, dreading the day when it happens so let's hope it's a long way off. I had to have one of my old sheep pts yesterday, the vet gave her steroids and painkillers on Friday but they did not help her and she still wouldn't, eat anything,in hindsight I wish I had pts on Friday like I wanted to but vet said try the injection, feel awful for not going with my gut instinct now .

debs

Posted - 04 Dec 2016 : 6:10:47 PM Oh I put a coat on him tonight when we went to do horses ....he was doing an eccentric kind of leg yield until I took coat off! He doesn't like at all :)

Ari

Posted - 04 Dec 2016 : 5:45:59 PM Debs I am same with Dex, he is enjoying life yet has adapted to his his own way as an oldie to reduced eyesight, hearing and is very different in nature, could be dementia or eccentric. I just go with what he is happy with, running in the fields at his pace. He does have the odd accident but always goes downstairs to surface easily sorted.

debs

Posted - 03 Dec 2016 : 7:21:53 PM Great news about the. Dogs :)Sorry to hear about your mare....you will know when the time is right, so hard though. XSpikey Mikey the Original Doglet of Doom is very agile but think he's going a bit senile, occasionally wees at night , stopped asking to go out, so he has little bells on collar which jungle when he gets up....so I can run downstairs, only thing is I sleep so badly I'm up even more!!! Certainly don't want him peeing upstairs on carpet.https://www.flickr.com/photos/133234669@N05/shares/MJ84z8

garnet

Posted - 03 Dec 2016 : 7:18:40 PM Sally, so sorry you are having such a worry with your mare. You will know when it has to be done; they have a way of telling us. xx

Ari

Posted - 03 Dec 2016 : 5:57:59 PM There's only one Percy, glad he is doing good and he has you on his side given the cost. Feel for you with your lady, thankfull my decisions with oldies have been acute Illness with no hope of recovery. She looks so well so go with vet advice and your heart, you will know cos you love her xx

sab2

Posted - 02 Dec 2016 : 9:21:02 PM So pleased he's doing well and fingers crossed for many more years to come. If you mean my Percy Ari he's doing well, running at about £240 a month on vets bills at min due to the drug company deciding all uk addisons dogs needed to go onto an injection and stopped making the florinef tablets anymore this should reduce as we get him stabilised on the new injections. My Arab mare has been a worry and e dry week I try to build myself up to having her pts then lose my bottle, she's back at vets next week to decide what we do Lots of sleepless nights worrying about her as she looks so well but I know she's in pain, on Danilon to help that but how do we know it's working, just do not want to say goodbye to her yet, see what vet says next week.

garnet

Posted - 02 Dec 2016 : 7:55:10 PM Brilliant!

Goldenmane

Posted - 02 Dec 2016 : 3:22:49 PM So pleased, and he seems like me, changes in eyesight and getting old and eccentric..I'm sure I never owned a Percy but his owner will reply Every day is a joy with our furbabies!

Ari

Posted - 01 Dec 2016 : 6:48:18 PM Almost 5 months since my last update on Dexter the terrific terrier. No deterioration at all in kidney function, eating well, playing and enjoying walks at his own pace which is sometimes off and away. He is 15 and half now, only changes are in eyesight and just getting old and eccentric. Quality of life is 100% he plays with Dolly and enjoys treats, what more can I have wished for over 2 years ago. How's Percy?

barbara.gregory

Posted - 08 Jul 2016 : 08:34:06 AM Such a lucky boy to have you, Ari; so many poor animals are neglected or in bad homes.

CKD can go on for a long time with careful management which I know Dex will get from you and he might well just go from a combination of age related failures eventually.

Keep going little man.

Ari

Posted - 07 Jul 2016 : 8:05:56 PM Like Garnet said we live and enjoy today. Dexter doodle has killed many rats, done many miles of great walks , played with many doggie pals, always slept next to me. He has the gorgeous gentle Dolly Cockerpoo to keep him company what more can a terrier ask for in his golden years X

barbara.gregory

Posted - 07 Jul 2016 : 08:23:43 AM So pleased to read this Ari, it is always very emotional when they are getting on and have problems. I booked my vet several times to come out to do the deed and then cancelled as she seemed a bit better but eventually the day came when I knew it was "the time", dreadful to do but the last act we do for them.

Enjoy his noisy barks for a while longer!!!!

Ari

Posted - 06 Jul 2016 : 6:59:43 PM Terrier by genetics and nature, tuff is my little chap and he will enjoy life to the full on my watch x

garnet

Posted - 06 Jul 2016 : 5:34:32 PM xx

Ari

Posted - 05 Jul 2016 : 8:58:44 PM Garnet my terrific terrier is back on top form for 15. Have to say excellent small practice vet do 24/7 so (very early Sunday morning) diagnosed chest infection. Oh yes the old boy is back barking at all that pass the yard. Oh yes you were so right and more so now xx

garnet

Posted - 05 Jul 2016 : 7:35:15 PM I've just looked back through all this thread and seen that I said the same thing nearly 2 years ago - must be right then!

garnet

Posted - 05 Jul 2016 : 7:32:43 PM He's doing really well - try to enjoy each day with him and not spoil your time together by brooding on the inevitable. Easier said than done, I know.

barbara.gregory

Posted - 01 Jul 2016 : 08:40:55 AM Their old age is certainly a roller coaster ride, all the ups and downs! So pleased he is doing well. We al know the time is fast approaching when we must say good bye but it is so hard. I had the same at the end with my rescue GSD as she had CDRM.

Goldenmane

Posted - 30 Jun 2016 : 6:05:38 PM Blimey, they certainly know how to worry us and cost us money!

Ari

Posted - 29 Jun 2016 : 10:06:09 PM Oh yes the worry never gets any less. Cats go well past 15 my girl even with thyroid got to 18. If only we could keep them forever and we do in our hearts and happy memories. Then there are happy days when pup or kitten arrives to forever home. I am so hoping for a good prognosis for your lady, 18 for and Arab is not old. We have a big coloured cob in the yard who has lost most sight in one eye and he copes very well without the Arab savvy X